The Wolves of Mount Reikaku
by Kou-Kagerou
Summary: This story focuses on The Spirited Wolf of Mount Reikaku or as Kouji an Tasuki call 'em, the Boss!. Title and rating pending.


Disclaimer: blah blah blah, I don't own Fushigi Yuugi nor do I own any of Watase-sama's incredibely cute characters, bishonen or other wise. I'd also like to say that since I do not own a computer of my own the updates for this story will be a whle worth comming. Gomen.  
  
First off: Well here it is. Its basically and introduction to the mind of the main focus, The Boss, as Kouji would call him ^_^. Its short but I dunno how much more I can elaborate without boring ppl to death. hehehe.  
  
This fic takes place not too long after the defeat of the Oni and the Mt. Kaou bandits in Tasuki's gaiden (Genrou Den fer those not in the know), but before Tasuki leaves to find something to heal his boss.  
  
Moonlite: Intro  
  
By: Kagerou  
  
For the fourth night that week Hakurou was awaken by a presence out in the stronghold courtyard. The noble leader of the Mt. Reikaku Bandits shifted in his bed, bringing himself to sit at its edge. In order to become and remain a leader of Mt. Reikaku, Hakurou had honed his senses into a diamond sharp edge and could now pick up on most living things within a five-yard radius. It was a skill he had prided himself in during the darker days of his leadership. Of course it also made him prone to waking up with a start when that field was breached.  
  
Even though things had calmed down considerably within the last week or so sleep was still hard to come by. His boys were extremely happy with their recent victory against the meddling powers of the oni, and as he had come to know, happy bandits equaled loud and rowdy men. Hakurou had to hold back a laugh. He remembered a time when he and his men had stayed up until the break of dawn laughing and singing some rather obscene drinking songs till they were all but out of breath and reeling from alcohol.  
  
How long ago had that party been? Two months? Two years? For a moment time and space seemed to tilt and melt together in his fever clouded mind. Thank the gods the party tonight had ended early.  
  
Hakurou just sat there, letting his body adjust to its new position. The presence outside was no threat to his men asleep in the barracks so he took his time. He had to take it slowly anyway. Though his fever had abated somewhat within the last hour his muscles were still sore and weak. With a little rest they would feel better in a little while... they usually did.  
  
But there it was again, wasn't it? Yet another sign of what he had already begun to suspect. Usually his strong immune system would have him bouncing back from most ailments within a few days. This sickness was threatening to go on for its second weak, and there was no sign of it breaking any time soon.  
  
It was a heavy knowledge to bear alone but Hakurou never mentioned it to any of his men except two. No need to worry his loyal followers... or to give any ideas to would be rebels. When the ache faded to the back of his mind he lifted a slim, strong hand to brush away a long strand of obsidian black hair.  
  
Crystal moonlight flooded into his room through the window adjacent the bed and outside there was a clear, cold breeze that swept through the world, making the trees whisper secretively in the night. Hakurou knew with out a doubt that the sky would be cloudless and filled with stars... was that why the child stood outside now?  
  
For the past week at sometime after midnight the newest recruit of the Reikaku ranks had made it a tradition to go outside and do nothing more than what appeared to be stargazing. Hakurou could manage to sleep through most of the loud parties that his boys put on, but it was that child's nightly pilgrimages (and they were always made when everyone else was asleep) that would wake him. It was a strange feeling, having the whole populace of the bandit stronghold in a coma like state of sleep and then to have one lone soul awake and separated from it all. Hakurou began to realize that the mere thought of his men sleeping peacefully, while he was up this late at night, irked him.  
  
Or early, depending how you look at it, he silently thought to himself.  
  
Standing by the window so that he could see what he wished without alerting anyone outside of his presence, Hakurou brought his sharp, penetrating gaze to focus on the figure below.  
  
It was a boy, not much older than 13 years of age. His slender frame shivered slightly in the chill and random wisps of silver hair in the adolescent's otherwise jet-black ponytail glinted in the moonlight. Ah, Hakurou knew this one. Well, not that he and the boy were going by first names or anything... In fact he suddenly realized that he didn't know the child's name. But he did know him in the sense that this was a kid that minded his own, worked hard for his keep and was seen more than heard... which wasn't much. The bandit leader saw him now. The boy's face, turned up to the wide endless sky above, was missing its signature look of forced maturity and his eyes were soft. Was there a hint of longing in them? He could definitely see indecision on that face.  
  
Homesickness. Che... that's why you never used to let children in. You're getting soft Hakurou...and now that he's been here long enough to know the comings and goings of the place, letting him go back to where ever it is that he came from will put both him and the bandits in danger...  
  
The leader sighed at his thoughts once again. It was true. Before that time... before Tasuki. Hakurou would have never let a kid so young join up. Rival gangs, corrupt officials, authority figures.. All of them would kill to know how the Mt. Reikaku Bandit's operated... literally. But with the battle between Mt. Kaou and Mt. Reikaku so recent, Hakurou had started admitting young teens in to fill in the gap carved out by their rival gang's swords and pikes. There was that, and the fact that his best warrior and replacement, Genr... Tasuki, had been only fifteen when he enlisted.  
  
His chuckle was soft as he recalled that memory. Beady-eyed and scrawny as a leaf, the boy later to be known as Ganrou, and then again as Tasuki, had stood up to and insulted no less than five fully grown Mt. Kaou bandits... and then had gotten promptly beat up and stripped of all his possessions for it. Even after I saved him and told him to scram, and yet again when we had him tied from head to toe for trespassing into our hideout, the scrawny kid had insisted that he'd be an asset to the band. Such a spirit.  
  
A movement from the yard brought Hakurou's thoughts back to the present. The boy was now making his way back to the barracks, his face and eyes once again serious as he pulled his safeguards back into place. Why is he so wary?... is he being harassed? I should ask Kouji to... he stopped at that thought. Why should he care? If things were going the way they seemed to be, that kid would be asking to 'go back home to mommy' come next afternoon.  
  
With that thought Hakurou settled back into the fading warmth of his bed and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.  
  
And thats that fer this chapter ^_^. I've come to realise that it's a bit difficult judging a fanfic that circles around characters who are not well known but tell me what you think anyway.  
  
Thanks go out to Ravensthief and Wingstar32 fer thier help in beta-ing this piece. If any other of my dear friends had a part in helping me bring out this chapter please feel free to bash me over the head with whatever sturdy object rests near you. ^_~ 


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